Firearm



June 19, 1923.- 1,459,108

G. s. LEWIS FIREARM Filed April 50, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORATTORNEYS June '19, 1923' 1,459,108

' G. S. LEWIS FIREARM Filed April 30 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORATTORNEYS Jim;

Patented June 19, 1923.

fjUN Eo- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

scones s.,'LnwIs, or ornoornn FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS. AssIGnoR ToPAGE-LEWIS ARMS .COMPANY, or CHICOPEE FALLS, 'MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORATION or .nnssacnusnrrs.

FIREARM.

Application filed April 30, 1921. Serial No. 465,633.

To-aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. Lnwis, citizen of the United States,residing at Chicopee Falls, in the county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented newand useful Improvements in Firearms, ofwhich the followingis a specification.

"The'invention relates'to an improvement in: breech-loading firearms andhas for its object" to improve, simplify and cheapen the construction ofthe same whereby a gun of high class functioning character may beprovided for boys at a reasonable price. Among the several objects ofthe invention is*to provide a simple form of springactuating mechanismfor-the hammer and trigger and so arranged that a single springwillfsufiice for actuating both the hammer and trigger. I For thepurpose of further simplifying the construction, the breechblock isdesigned to carry the movable elements of the firing mechanismand isitself removable as a self-contained structure from the receiver orframe-of the gun. The receiver accordingly maybe formed of plain sideand end walls,requiring aminimum amount of machine 1 work and socoordinated with the elements ofthe breech-bloclrmechanism that itwillbe 'impossible to cook the gun with the breech-block open andimpossible to open the breech with the gun cocked, an important safetyfeature in a gun of this type.

"Further objects and advantages of the inventionwill become apparentfrom the following" specification and accompanying drawings, which showthe preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which,-

Fig. 1 is'a side-elevational view, partly in section, of a firearmembodying my invention and showing the hammer and trig ger in fullcocked position;

2 is a top plan view of that part of the firearmshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the hammer in itsdown-position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the breechblock'in'its open'position andthe hammer and trigger i'n half-cocked positions; and

" -Fig.* 5- is an elevational view of the springactuating means for thehammer and trigger: p

Referring to the drawings, the frame F comprises side plates 1 spacedapart by filler members Q' and 3 to form a receiver. The

sideplates and filler members'are secured together by rivets or the likeand provide a frame to receive the breech-block 4 which is pivotedthereto at 6. A indicates the stock of the gun and B the barrel, thelatter being supported by the frame F at the forward end thereof andremovably secured thereto in the usual manner, as by the A reciprocatingextractor mounted in the barrel is adapted to be enscrew 5.

gaged by a spring-pressed plunger P carried in the breech-block 4,whereby a shell is extracted from the barrel when the breech-block ismoved to its open position,

as shown in Fig. 4. v

The pivoted breech-block 4 fits snugly be tween the side plates 1 of theframe F and is hollowed out between its side faces'7, within which thefiring mechanism is contained. Notches 8, provided in the upper cornerof the breech-block 4, are adapted to abut angularly-disposed shoulders3 of the filler member 3 of the frame when the breech-block is closedand thereby both limit the closing position of the breech-block and alsosupport the breech-block against'the recoil during firing. 1

The hammer 10, having the usual cocking comb 10, is pivoted between thesides of the breech-block 4 at 11, and has a striker-face 12 for impactagainst firing-pin 9. The l0wer side of the hammer is provided withsafety half-cock and full-cock notches 13 and 14. A semi-circular notch16 is provided in the under side of the hammer adapted to receive andfurnish a pivotal bearing for an end of the actuating mechanism, seeFig. 4. The trigger 18 is'also carried between the sides of thebreech-block 4 and is pivoted at 19 as indicated. The trigger 18 isprovided with a scar end 20 that is adapted to engage either of thenotches 13 or 14 of the hammer to hold the hammer 10 in its half orfull-cocked positions when held in engagement therewith by the springactuating means now to be described.

The spring-actuated means functions both as a hammer spring and as atrigger spring and comprises a plunger 21 that is pivotally carried bythe trigger 18 and is provided with a flange 22, as shown. A tube 24telescopes upon the plunger 21 and is provided with a flange 25 similarto that of the plunger 21. The upper end of the tube is provided with apivot-pin 26 adapted to interfit and rock in the recess 16 of the hammer10. A coiled spring 27 encircles the tube 24 and plunger 21 forcompression between the flanges 22 and 24. The spring 27 tends to swingthe hammer 10 and trigger 18 in opposite directions on their respectivepivots and functions to hold the sear end 20 of the trigger inengagement with either one of the cocking notches of the hammer 10 whenthe hammer is half or full cocked. The spring 27 also functions toactuate the hammer against the firing-pin when the same is released fromits engagement with the trigger.

The interslidable tube 24 and plunger 21 serve as a supporting guide forthe spring 27 during the compression thereof, and also functions tolimitthe movement of the hammer in the cocking direction. That is, as thehammer is moved to a full-cocked position, the tube is reciprocated uponthe plunger and is preferably of a length to abut the flange 22 of theplunger as the hammer notch 14 is moved slightly past the sear end ofthe trigger. The abutment of the tube 24: I

and flange 22 prevents a further movement of thehammer and also insuresthe sear end of the trigger engaging with the cocking notch of thehammer. The spring-actuating mechanism as will be seen is supportedwholly by the hammer and trigger within the movable breech-block,whereby the latter as a whole with the complete firing mecha nismcontained therein may be removed from the receiver or frame of the gun.This construction simplifies both the manufacture and assembly of theparts.

The operating lever 29 is pivoted at 29' between the side plates of theframe F and is formed in the shape of the usual trigger guard. Its upperend is slotted and a cam link 30 is pivotally connected therein as at31. The cam-link 30 is pivotally connected at 32 between the sidemembers of the breechblock 1, as best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

- The axes of the pivots 29, 31 and 32 are preferably disposed in such amanner that, when the breech-block 4 is moved to its closed position andthe lever 29 abuts the stock A, as in Figsl or 3, the pivot 31 islocated at the left'of a straight line connecting the pivots29 and 32,as indicated in Fig. 3, thus forming a toggle-lock to retain thebreechblock closed during the recoil of firing. The shoulders 8 of thebreech-block at this time are also in abutment with the shoulders 3' ofthe frame F and thus further support the breech-block in its lockedposition. The forward side of the hammer has a cam surface 15 for beingengaged by the rear projection of cam link 30 during the openingmovement of the breech-block to swing the hammer into half-cockedposition, as shown in Fig. 4.. By reference to Fig. 1, it will beobserved that the rear filler member 3 is cut with a curved recess 10 toprovide a clearance for the cocking of the hammer when the breechblockis in closed position. Thisclearance is such and the pivots of thehammer 10 and breech-block 4 so coordinated therewith that thebreech-block cannot be swung open far enough to insert a cartridge inthe chamber of the barrel B when the hammer is incocked position (seeFig. 1). For similar reasons, the hammer 10 cannot be cocked when thebreech is wide open (see Fig. 4). In this way, a safety feature for thegun is pro vided. I

Assuming the gun to have just been fired, leaving the parts in theposition shown in Fig. 3, the operation of the mechanism is as follows:The operating lever 29 is swung in a downward direction and the cam linkconnecting the lever and breech-block causes the breech-block to swingon its pivot; to the open position shown in Fig. 4:. During the openingmovement of the breechblock the cam-shaped nose 33 of the link 30engages the cam surface 15 of the hammer and forces the hammerbackwardly a sufficient distance for the sear end 20 of the trigger tobe forced into the safety half-cock notch,

13 of the hammer by the action of the spring 27. Also, during theopening movement of the breech-block, the extractor E of the barrel isactuated by the pin P and a cartridge shell is ejected from the barrel.WVhile the breech-block is in its open position shown in Fig. 4, a newcartridge may be inserted in the barrel. To close or look the breech,the lever 29 is raised, thus swinging the breech-block upwardly whereits shoulders 8 are in an abutment with the shoulders 3' of the frame Fand the toggle-link 30 is carried to its: locked position. The hammerhas remained in its half-cocked position during the locking or closingof the breechblock and may then be moved toward, .its full-cockedposition in the usual manner by pressing on the comb 10 untilthe searend 20 of thetrigger is caused to engage the full-cock notch 14 of thehammer by the action of the spring 27. Then, when the trigger is pulled,the hammer is released and is actuated by the spring 27 against thefiring-pin.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes from thespecific construction shown and described may be made without departingfrom. the full scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Vhat I claim is:

1. In a. firearm in combination, a hammer and a trigger arranged forinterengagement in cocked positions, means interposed ,between andwholly supported by the hammer and trigger for actuating the said hammerand trigger and to limit the cooking movement of said hammer.

2. In a firearm in combination, a hammer and a trigger arranged forinterengagement shoulders.

3. In a firearm in combination, a frame,

a breech-block movably mounted in Said frame and containing within thesame a pivoted hammer, a pivoted trigger, and a means interposed betweenthe hammer and trigger for performing the double function of a hammerspring and a trigger spring, and to limit the cocking movement of saidhammer.

4. In a breech-loading firearm in combination, a frame comprising sideplates riveted at its ends to filler-blocks for forming a receiver, abreech-block pivoted to said frame within said receiver, a pivotedhammer and a pivoted trigger both mounted in said breech-block,spring-actuating means for said hammer and trigger supported whollywithin said breech-block, and a trigger-guard lever pivoted to saidframe and having a toggle-link connection with said breech-block forlocking the same in closed position. I

5. In a breech loading firearm in combination a. receiver, a breechblock pivoted in said receiver, a hammer and trigger pivoted in thebreech block and arranged for engagement in a safety cocked position, atrigger guard pivoted 1n the receiver, a toggle connection between theguard and breech block, whereby a swinging movement of the guard willopen or close the breech block and means carried by the toggleconnection that is adapted to engage the hammer during the openingmovement of the block and move the said hammer into interengagement withthe trigger in its safety-cocked position.

In testimony whereof I have a-fiixed my signature.

GEORGE S. LEWIS.

